PURPOSE: To cut not only sheet metal but especially heat-treated abrasion- resistant thick-plate metal of high strength into pieces of accurate lengths in burr-free and right-angle fashion by disposing a clamp device for clamping cutting stock tight while it is cut up.

CONSTITUTION: A support frame 1 houses a travel device 2, which suspends over cutting stock 3 so as to travel along adjustable vertical guides 4 to 6 in play-free relation and to work via a variable-speed drive device 7. The travel device 2 has a cutting blade lowering device, on which is disposed a controllable cutting blade drive unit 12 whose output shaft 14 is mounted with a cutting blade clamp device 15. Clamp devices 21 and 22 grip the cutting stock 3 tight while it is cut up.